In my previous article, I talked about working with journalists, and why researching the journalist before hand is so important. I would like to elaborate upon the previous article, and add some more information about journalists.

Typically, the historical relationship between a journalist and a PR is that we are opponents in the game we're playing. When I first realized this, I couldn't believe it! But, since then, I've really began to take the time to understand the journalist's point of view.

How I found this out, was when I would talk to a journalist, there would be a general undertone of distrust and discontent toward me when they found out I was a PR person. So, to fix this, I read article after article on what they liked and disliked and talked to many journalists to really make sure I understood them.

I found out that one of the biggest beefs journalists have with PRs is that the PR doesn't understand their client, or they don't do their homework (as I discussed in the previous article). Let's say a press release goes out from a PR person, and it's a very good press release. If the journalist calls the person who put out the press release, and the PR doesn't know anything further about the client or the client's business, product or service, this will fill the journalist with ire more than you can imagine. They're overworked and underpaid, and have a lot of stories to write.

Another beef is when the PR is very rude, when they think their client is the only story the journalist should write about. They don't give a crap about the journalistic content or style. They don't pay attention to what kind of publication, or blog, or column they write about, or what kind of show they produce. Producers hate it when PR people pitch them stories that have nothing to do with what they produce, and then badger the poor producer into airing it! Just because you have a story doesn't mean every media outlet will be the right outlet for it. A story about wedding dresses is not going to cut it in the Dirt Bike Digest!

It's because of these factors that PRs get a bad reputation of being flighty and capricious among journalists. Like, "Hey, Sweetie. I don't know anything about my client, but you should write about him because he's AWESOME!"

Then you have the flip side of the coin, when you have journalists who get a reputation of being very cynical about life, only writing about the controversy, the sensationalism, or the bad news. They don't get their facts straight, and speak in generalities. It's very biased and "news" then becomes based on arbitraries rather than facts. The ethical code of conduct for a journalist seems like it just went out the window. But those are extreme examples.

I have found that the best relationship with journalists is when a PR does their due diligence. Find out what they write about. Make sure the story they write about is factual. And it's helpful to the readership or the viewership or the listenership they represent. After all, the journalist gets paid by advertisers that advertise in their newspaper or their TV show or their radio show. If the journalist is not delivering valuable, solid content, that media outlet is going to go under. That's why you see a lot of papers going under these days. Too much hate and too many lies go out. Why would an advertiser push their product in a newspaper that's going to turn around and say it's not safe to buy it? For instance, I've heard of realtors pulling their ads because the publication would promote how dangerous the area was, and the realtor was getting too many calls asking if it was safe to live there.

But there are a lot of media outlets that do understand the value of good content, the value of factual stories, helpful stories, stories that are going to inspire or give good information, or expose an injustice. People need to know certain things. But the newspaper has to be factual in giving this information.

You have to have a relationship in which you're perfectly helpful to the journalist when they call to get more information, in which you can actually provide information and know what you're talking about. You have to keep in mind what the journalist needs and wants to get his story. But remember, you're not representing the journalist. You're representing the client. Your job is to portray the client in the best possible light. If you're having a hard time doing so, or if you have to lie to do so, you might want to consider not having that client. Why are you representing that kind of person in the first place?

I have a great relationship with journalists, because I know these points, and I keep in mind who I'm dealing with. I think journalists are great. I even hired one! You don't have to be the journalist's opponent if you just do your due diligence and know who you're dealing with. And if you do, you will disabuse them about PRs. PRs are some of the smartest, hardest-working people I know!